The tall clean is an abbreviated clean variation in which the pull under the bar is isolated.

Execution

Stand tall with a clean-width grip, the bar hanging at arms’ length and the feet in the pulling position. Pull the elbows up and out aggressively, and pick up the feet. Pull yourself down as quickly as possible while replacing your feet flat on the floor in your receiving position and turning the elbows over into the clean rack position. Attempt to get the bar secured on the shoulders as quickly as possible, although it will be near the bottom of the squat.

Notes

Athletes will often allow the bar to crash onto the shoulders in this exercise. It’s important to practice delivering the bar precisely and smoothly into the rack position by maintaining the grip on the bar as long as possible during the turnover, and meeting the bar with the shoulders rather than dropping out from under it.

Purpose

The tall clean can help train and reinforce the proper mechanics of the pull under the bar, and train speed, aggressiveness, confidence and precision in the turnover.

Programming

The tall clean is a great technique primer prior to a clean training session for athletes who have a weak, slow pull under the bar. It can also be used at essentially any time in a program to strengthen the pull under. Sets of 1-3 reps work well. Weights will be fairly light—begin with an empty bar. Be careful of increasing the weight too much and unintentionally changing the exercise into a dip clean or high-hang clean.

Variations

The tall clean can be started on flat feet, or standing up on the balls of the feet.